(Masa Para Cocas)
- 1 2/3 cups warm (110° to 115° F) water
- 1 envelope dry yeast
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon white wine or other vinegar
- 4 cups all-purpose flour, or as needed
- 2 teaspoons salt
- Vegetable oil
- Coarse cornmeal
Makes enough dough for a 13 x 18-inch coca
Stir the water, yeast and sugar together in a small bowl until the yeast and sugar are dissolved. Let stand in a warm place until the liquid starts to foam, about 10 minutes.
Pour the yeast mixture, oil, and vinegar into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Add 4 cups flour and the salt and mix at low speed until the dough is smooth and somewhat sticky. Switch to the dough hook attachment and continue mixing, adding flour if the dough sticks to the bowl and attachment, until the dough is smooth and elastic, about 3 minutes. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface, knead it into a smooth ball, and place it in an oiled bowl. Turn the dough to oil all sides, cover the bowl with a kitchen towel and let it rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk, anywhere from 30 minutes to 1 ½ hours.
Sprinkle the bottom of a 13 x 18 inch jelly roll pan with the cornmeal. Roll the dough out to a rectangle an inch or two larger on all sides than the pan. Fit the dough into the pan, tucking it into the corners. Don’t worry if the edges of the dough are a little uneven. Poke the dough with a fork at 1-inch intervals and let the dough rise in a warm place until it starts to puff, about 30 minutes.
Check your local bakeries or pizza places. Chances are one of them will sell you balls of pizza dough. They are a great resource to have on hand. Take them right from the freezer into an oiled bowl, cover it with a kitchen towel and let rise.
